FOX's Tribes (1990)

[All My Shadows]

On a whim, I searched YouTube to see if there was any footage at all of this soap, which aired on Fox's daytime schedule in the spring and summer of 1990. And lo and behold...

The poster doesn't have too many episodes it seems But I'm more excited than I should be to watch this

Does anyone happen to remember anything from this show? No one ever remembers it when talking about US network daytime soaps, but I'd say it qualifies to go on the list.

[SFK]

We mentioned Tribes in another thread a few months back. It came on after school, late afternoon/early evening when I was in the 6th grade. Some kids in my class watched it, and I caught bits and pieces but no clear memories, there must have been a cartoon on at the time that I was more into. I believe Michelle Stafford was on it but I'd be lying if I said that I remembered her. I do vaguely remember the lead girl, and if that was her, well, wow. I'm gonna check out these clips in a few, thanks!

[SFK]

There will be a day when the complete series of Tribes, Swan's Crossing, and Fifteen will ALL be readily available for viewing on Roku/Hulu/YouTube/whatever, I SPEAK it into existence! Ho-diddy-bo-yoko!

[SFK]

P.S. Why is AMC's Piss Liplock styled like he just walked off the set of this show?

[bellcurve]

HOLY CRAP! Tribes finally made it to YouTube. Can't wait to see how good(or how BAD) this was!

Edited August 6, 2010 by bellcurve

[Soaplovers]

Yeah, i remember this show.. I remember Michelle Stafford on it but I don't think she came on till near the end of the show. From what she said, her character was slated to become involved with one of the guys but the show went off the air beforehand.

From what I recall, the show did well in the cities that carried it but was too expensive to keep going.

[bellcurve]

I think I am most excited to see Kim Valentine play a heroine/sweet girl, especially considering she(along with Marley Shelton) played such a stuck up, nasty cheerleader bitch to Laura on Family Matters with such perfection.

Edited August 6, 2010 by bellcurve

[SFK]

Wouldn't you so much rather watch this than that second half hour of that windbag Judge Joe Brown? Man, that scene with the two big hairs, Tina and Jojo and the OTT waitress is gold. Jojo looks like the Amerasian kid from ATWT.

[SFK]

I see that the late Harriet Hall is in this (she shows up in the second uploaded ep), I noticed her name in the closing credits then spotted her face in the opening. She of course replaced Julia Barr as AMC's Brooke for a short time during the early '80s, had a role on Somerset, et cetera. If you're interested, her brother created a lovely tribute to his sister:

page - http://davishall.com/dSite/Harriet.html

pics - http://davishall.com/dSite/images/Harriet%20Hall.USE./Harriet%20Hall.USE..mov

[All My Shadows]

I wish! I love cheesy 90s teen pop culture. I was much too young for these shows at the time (I was born during Tribes's run), but I'd love to see all of them. I'm assuming Tribes was a 65-er like the other two were. I believe all of Swans is on YT. If not all of it, a LOT of it is. I'd have watched them months ago but the A/V quality's not great.

He does have an outdated look.

!!!!! I KNEW I recognized that name from somewhere. They were the quintessential teen Clueless-era, mini-Melrose bitches.

The waitress pissed me off. At the beginning of the scene, I was like "Hey, there's a good actress on here!" And then she progressively got worse and worse as the scene went on.

And yes, I'd take this over JJB any day of the week, preferably all five.

[bellcurve]

Still watching the first uploaded episode from YouTube, but here's the deal: Tribes is far from high art or the pinnacle of soap, but Leah Laiman and the people behind this project have to at least be applauded for their efforts to bring the soap opera to a younger audience. This project was well before its time.

Tribes(unlike soaps that were designed for a younger audience that would come after it, like The City, Sunset Beach) doesn't pretend to be anything it's not. Yes, there's the wannabe hip and less melodramatic music, but the directing/camerawork doesn't attempt to portray itself as being above the soap. It does its intended purpose(soap opera's intended purpose) which is to tell someone's story. The show effectively does this without the razzle-dazzle. This show is mighty preachy, but I wouldn't expect anything less than a show geared for a younger audience.

And unlike Generations(which wasted precious time on long, narrative exposition instead of combining that with compelling story), Tribes at leas throws you in the middle of the action, even if the characters are one-dimensional.

I wish FOX would get station clearance to do a daytime or late-night soap project. As a network, they are in the perfect position to do so.

[All My Shadows]

Word.

I would prefer a late night deal, or maybe a more "traditional" soap in daytime (three cameras, three-walled sets, etc) and a more innovative thing in late night. Most FOX affiliates do news after primetime, right? So while the stations affiliated with the big three are airing their news, viewers could have the alternative of watching a dramatic serial every night. Wouldn't even have to compete with the circus of pompous ass talk show hosts either.

[JackPeyton]

I have never even heard of this!

Speakinf of fifteen, i just bought it. the entire run. $9 on ioffer. after i get it i will let yall know, that way of any of u want it u will know someone who bought it and got it.

I was torn between that and swans crossing, because ioffer has the entire run of that for $15, i will get it next. I choose 15 because i remember watching it and hey dude, and already got hey dude.

[SFK]

That's awesome Jack, keep us updated! They're all worth getting eventually. Swans of course had SMG as Sydney (who I would refer to as the "Erica" of the show, having no idea what the future had in store for her) and Shane McDermott (ex-Scott) as Garrett who was supposed to be the hotshot dastardly player. Come to think of it, they were very much in the vein of Valmont and Merteuil, Cruel Intentions before Cruel Intentions, but of course a lot less graphic. It was weird, they lounged around in a red Mercedes SL convertible for a lot of their scenes.

Maybe if I say it enough someone will put it up, but Im still holding out for the pilot of 13 Bourbon Street which was supposed to be FOX's late-night 5x/week soap by Gottlieb and Malone.

Back to Tribes, when they started talking abortion I was taken aback a bit, I can imagine there were quite a few parents who were none too pleased with that kind of talk before dinner was even on the table. But very Degrassi in that regard, Swans nor Fifteen ever went there to my recollection. The heaviest stuff on Fifteen was alcoholism and divorce. I don't know what it is, maybe it's because they're young, maybe it's because there is something endearing about the low-budget "Let's put on a soap!" quality of these shows, maybe it's the fact that they were short-lived and are relatively rare, but I just love them and I am not only willing to see past the bad acting and cheesiness, but I embrace it.

Edited August 6, 2010 by SFK

[All My Shadows]

I know exactly what you mean. They're so cheap-looking, the acting isn't great, the dialogue is clunky, but you can tell that they have only the best intentions and really want to put on a good show. I'd love to see a more polished attempt (with the same heart) today as sort of a vindication for the old shows.